There’s something quite mysterious about racing into the night. It’s the ultimate fight and the turning point in a 24-hour enduro. Driver ensemble’s band together to beat fatigue and exhaustion. Outright pace comes second fiddle to consistency – staying on the black stuff means staying in the game. The notion of settling in to the night shift had to come from somewhere?
Gallery: Magical HSR Classic 24 night qualifying at Daytona
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It’s just driver, car, the black of night, the flow of your lights out in front and the twinkle of competitors as they bob around in front and in your peripherals. At Daytona things are slightly different. As darkness falls the circuit is set ablaze with a barrage of industrial lighting. In place of endless black, an etherial haze of light floods the turns, with occasional pockets of darkness keeping drivers on their toes.
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For a spectator, it’s mesmerising. The night brings HSR's spectacular sportscar ensemble to life. As rakish wedges and be-winged weapons assault the circuit, the reflections of scores of lights dance across their sculpted bodywork. Licks of flame on downshifts flash, brake discs are luminous in heavy anchor zones and head and brake lights bounce as the cars contend with bumps and compressions. For any car enthusiast, this is a spectacle that needs to be seen in person.
Photography by Chuck Andersen
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